1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seat covers, and more particularly pertains to a child car seat cover for covering a generally triangular front retaining plate of a conventional type child car seat. The retaining plate is releasably securable by a rectangular locking member to restrain a child in the car seat. On hot summer days, the retaining plate, which is typically formed from a black vinyl material, becomes extremely hot when left inside an automobile. This provides a danger of burning a child, if the child is immediately placed into the car seat. Prior to the present invention, the typical practice was for individuals to run the car air conditioner for a period of time until the retaining plate was sufficiently cooled so as not to burn the child. This is a considerable inconvenience and results in the waste of both time and gasoline. In order to overcome these problems, the present invention provides a removable, padded and washable fabric cover for the retaining plate to protect a child from burning.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of seat covers are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a seat cover is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,103, which issued to W. Nail on Sept. 15, 1959. This patent discloses a car seat cover formed from an irregularly shaped fabric piece. U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,898, which issued to A. Bodrero on Nov. 11, 1980, discloses a conformable seatback cover including front and back panels connected by stretchable side panels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,453, which issued to B. Schutz on Oct. 23, 1984, discloses an adjustable cover for an infant car seat which has front and rear sections joined along a top portion to form a recess into which the upper part of the back and the forwardly extending sides of the infant car seat are received. U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,028, which issued to M. Jones et al on Aug. 20, 1985, discloses a fitted sheet cover adapted for use with a lounge type foldable beach chair which includes pocket formations at each end for engagement over the ends of the chair and transverse elastic straps for placement behind the chair at the points where the head and foot portions of the chair are hingedly connected to the central chair section. U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,511, which issued to S. Seltzer et al on Sept. 15, 1987, discloses an auto seat cover including a back cover portion and a seat portion joined by a common seam. Straps extend from the common seam for fitting through a crevice of the auto seat between its back rest and seat cushion.
While the above mentioned devices are directed to seat covers, none of these devices disclose a cover for a triangular retaining plate of a child car seat to prevent burning of a child when the car seat is left within an automobile on a hot summer day. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of seat covers, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such seat covers, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.